We could all be judged on past relationships that have ended. Mark Mitchell is in Samoa honeymooning after his 4th marriage. It’s hard to figure out why this has surfaced now, given Chippy and Jade got together in 2013 and it’s likely the alleged things happened a while ago. I did note Chippy’s Mum and Dad seem to have stepped in a couple of examples which is how whanau works. The problem is there is no way to prove or disprove any of this. It will live on in the minds of the cesspit that is social media all the way to the election. People will believe the worst if it suits their politics. I had read Jade had a new partner and was posting how happy she is. It also appears that there has been no conflict of interest in her working as a Ministerial Advisor in Costello’s office (which is confirmed). What I do know for real is that Chippy loved Jade - I saw it when they first met - and he is a good dad. I also know him to be a kind man and genuinely concerned for those who suffer, including his two young children.
I almost wrote suggesting that if a reporter wanted to follow up with Mark Mitchell's four wives, they could probably find something, but I thought better of it.
It's hilarious that he has gone on honeymoon with the PM.
Like you, I thought exactly the same thing. The media is giving a real positive spin and lots of publicity to Mark Mitchell's 4th marriage and I wondered if they might interview any of his wives from the 3 failed marriages to see what went wrong and why they divorced. I think not and nor should they. I've known Chris since his high school days and his always strong advocacy and concern against injustice and for the vulnerable. He is a good bloke. I've known many politicians over my 40 years + involvment in local body and national politics and know how hard politics is on family life. I have no doubt it was hard for Jade, as it is for any partner of a politician. I suspect no current elected politicians are going to say much against Chris because they all know they about stones and glass houses!
Thanks for the good solid info Darien...and just what I suspected, given the light that one can see in Chippy's eyes. If if this is what NACTFirst have to resort to, they are already dead in the water...
And the "affair" with the intern was with Toni, Chris's now fiancé who worked in his electorate office between 2010 and 2012 before he met Jade in 2013, not any time after. Toni and Chris got together again more than a year after he had separated from Jade.
Like you, I don't want to read the ex-wife's post, but I have read items about it, amongst which I was interested to note one of her friends is a certain substack writer who claims to hold a centralist position, but whose posts always cast doubt on left wing politicians' abilities. That person is a foundation member of the free speech union - enough said - it is dirty politics.
I believe you Nick...it's exactly what I suspected, but had no evidence for, except for the general smell of the odour-and the timing-of the whole media muck-rake...we need some kind of an overhaul of the libel laws in this poor benighted Atlas-afflicted Trumpianesque little isolated country...all this shit started with the advent of John Key (the moray eel with the killer eyes) and the advent of National-supported unknown CEO's from overseas corporations with oligarchic Neo-fascist agendas...that is how we got this bizarrely ineffectual and corrupt ACT/Seymour-driven yes-man of a PM, Luxon the Lugubrious. Lollipop-Man. It simply must be stopped. Does any other so-called Democratic/Socialist country in the world put up with this coup-producing corruption of the political process of democracy? I think not.
I will never understand or emphasise with people's personal rants on social media against another person especially a current or former family member so without having read the post I remain hugely sceptical. Like you Nick my marriage ended and we kept our distance for all sorts of reasons but over time with 4 adult kids and mokos we had to get along and so we do. The association with Costello stinks to high heaven.
Despicable stuff on many levels. The positive is that some of the coalition now view Hipkins as a genuine threat so they of course have to fight dirty. The media are naturally aiding and abetting, which is not their modus operandi when their side are involved in anything scandalous
No matter what the reason for the breakup, and like you Nick I don’t need to know, the ones who are going to be most affected in the long term, are the innocent children.
I too am disappointed that the mainstream media chose to pick up this story and again provide more clickbait for the ‘right’.
And I have to wonder ‘when’ did the ex wife begin working for Casey Costello? 🤫
Agree, not wishing to read the posts and don't doubt that their are two sides and differing perspectives, and perhaps mistakes made as there are so often in the course of negotiating relationships - my 1st thought was 'what about the children...' . Appalled by the media uptake, including morning report when Barbara Edmonds, who was interviewed to comment on the fuel crisis, was asked by Hipkiss to comment on the stories - utterly inappropriate and disgraceful.
I don't listen to RNZ for that reason. Hipkiss and Dann ( and the 1 before and the 1 after ) used to wind me up no end, so I stopped listening. Problem solved - my mornings are now calm and beautiful listening to Concert FM, and I am gaining so much more appreciation for classical music. I got rid of my TV for similar toxic news slant reasons.
Yes, it is disappointing but then I think about the way they went after Golriz Ghahraman when was convicted of shoplifting - it seemed that every time she went near a shop it was reported. And the ex-president of the Act party, who was convicted of a sex crime, a pedophile, got very little attention.
If she is working at parliament then the Fb post can be used against her as impacting her role .
Its incredibly sad to read and I struggle to believe it as it sounds so malicious and down right nasty. Also was she thinking of the children all or did she post this after a few too many wines and now thinks OMG.....
Yes I questioned that, surely there's some parliamentary regulation around conflicts of interest or wharever this may fall under.. Heavens there's been many a parliamentary break up we've seen over the years. This is Act playing dirty politics and is none of our business. Just really unfair and cruel on all especially Chris and their children. Sad.
While the thought is that there are two sides to every break up, the children need to be free of the impact of bitterness and malice. As you say, the timing of the outburst is suspect. My mother was bitter towards my father for all her life after the early divorce and it certainly impacted us all. I tried not to do the same to my kids.
Thank you so much for speaking to the topic with such love and empathy.
I assume most of us have had a rant at some point in our lives, but sadly social media has a life of its own.
As you have said, the children are the most important and surely by their last name alone, they get enough.
There are many sides to a story and where’s and wherefores. But there is also context, circumstance and time for narratives to change that surround both sides of the story.
Whatever lead to her writing on FB, the pain is personal to her, Chris, their children and whanau. Not the media or others agendas. It’s sad for what this has become in our new way of politics
I’m grateful for like minded people with such love, understanding and empathy on this page. I hope this whanau have such people available to them, outside of the political and media platforms
As always, when airing one's dirty washing, a great splattering turd is sure to fall from the sky. Jade has not done herself a favour. Already she has jeopardized her own privacy, potentially made life for the children more stressful, and exposed herself to scrutiny. It's best to work things through in counseling or therapy and protect your children from bad mouthing the other parent. It must be a painful time for the whole family and I wish them all privacy to find solutions.
I agree. This has political nastiness written all over it. I have no idea what it’s about, and no interest in it. I firmly believe that Chippy is a good person, who genuinely cares about people. Everyone has their moments when they may not be their best selves, but that doesn’t define your whole life. I feel very sorry for the children, for Chippy and his partner, and their wider whanau.
According to Chris Hipkins during his Press conference (having just returned from Australia) his Ex is "not in the country". And since she has the children, he doesn't know how they are. It was heart-breaking to watch him say these things.
And so it begins - for Hipkins this time. It's already started with the lies about Tamatha and Julie Anne. If this kind of nasty, personal, mostly untrue stuff is all they have then it says a lot about their own lack of principle or substance. I don't bother with mainstream media any more.
After the excellent Nicky Hager Dirty Politics expose, I believe that rather than desist the RW have just refined their tactics. A very complicit and helpful Media does the Left no favours. It will only get worse as time advances toward November 7.
Because I'm not on Twitter, I have not seen the Facebook post, the first time I had heard anything about this was when it came out in the media yesterday.
I have to say I was really pissed of with our media running with this story without any verifiable facts.
Without knowing what is in the post, my puku reaction is, it's of a woman scorned and someone wanting revenge after a marriage break-up.
I know when a relationship breaks down, people get hurt, some more than others, but social media is not somewhere to air one's dirty laundry.
Chippy and his ex-wife have tamariki together, whom I have no doubt are loved by both of their parents, but it's their innocent tamariki who are being caught right, bang smack in the middle of this and that stinks.
The fact that she works for Casey Costello stinks even more. This is dirty politics at it's finest.
I'm glad Chippy is looking at taking legal action and I will be interested to see what comes of this. Not that it's any of my business.
Honestly how terrible that the media have played this, or been played. So interesting to know ex wife works for National MP. I agree with what you say, Nick. Think of the kids. Nope, media don't do that. Someone in the media made the decision to blow this up. Geez they are desperate for a story aren't they.
If it walks like a goose, and sounds like a goose and looks like a goose then... seems crackers that noone else is pointing out where Chippys ex works, and what the Nats stand to gain.
If this one reaches 100 likes by this afternoon, I'll open it up.
We could all be judged on past relationships that have ended. Mark Mitchell is in Samoa honeymooning after his 4th marriage. It’s hard to figure out why this has surfaced now, given Chippy and Jade got together in 2013 and it’s likely the alleged things happened a while ago. I did note Chippy’s Mum and Dad seem to have stepped in a couple of examples which is how whanau works. The problem is there is no way to prove or disprove any of this. It will live on in the minds of the cesspit that is social media all the way to the election. People will believe the worst if it suits their politics. I had read Jade had a new partner and was posting how happy she is. It also appears that there has been no conflict of interest in her working as a Ministerial Advisor in Costello’s office (which is confirmed). What I do know for real is that Chippy loved Jade - I saw it when they first met - and he is a good dad. I also know him to be a kind man and genuinely concerned for those who suffer, including his two young children.
I almost wrote suggesting that if a reporter wanted to follow up with Mark Mitchell's four wives, they could probably find something, but I thought better of it.
It's hilarious that he has gone on honeymoon with the PM.
It sure is 😂🤣🤣
What gives me the pip is how the likes of Soper and Plunket with their matrimonial disaster histories are so willing to climb into Chippy.
Dont hold back Nick. Mitchell will be onto the fifth soon enough.
Like you, I thought exactly the same thing. The media is giving a real positive spin and lots of publicity to Mark Mitchell's 4th marriage and I wondered if they might interview any of his wives from the 3 failed marriages to see what went wrong and why they divorced. I think not and nor should they. I've known Chris since his high school days and his always strong advocacy and concern against injustice and for the vulnerable. He is a good bloke. I've known many politicians over my 40 years + involvment in local body and national politics and know how hard politics is on family life. I have no doubt it was hard for Jade, as it is for any partner of a politician. I suspect no current elected politicians are going to say much against Chris because they all know they about stones and glass houses!
Thanks for the good solid info Darien...and just what I suspected, given the light that one can see in Chippy's eyes. If if this is what NACTFirst have to resort to, they are already dead in the water...
And the "affair" with the intern was with Toni, Chris's now fiancé who worked in his electorate office between 2010 and 2012 before he met Jade in 2013, not any time after. Toni and Chris got together again more than a year after he had separated from Jade.
Sounds like typical rock'n'roll to me, eh....
Like you, I don't want to read the ex-wife's post, but I have read items about it, amongst which I was interested to note one of her friends is a certain substack writer who claims to hold a centralist position, but whose posts always cast doubt on left wing politicians' abilities. That person is a foundation member of the free speech union - enough said - it is dirty politics.
I assume you mean Ani O'Brien; she certainly isn't centrist. Deranged is the word I would use.
I believe you Nick...it's exactly what I suspected, but had no evidence for, except for the general smell of the odour-and the timing-of the whole media muck-rake...we need some kind of an overhaul of the libel laws in this poor benighted Atlas-afflicted Trumpianesque little isolated country...all this shit started with the advent of John Key (the moray eel with the killer eyes) and the advent of National-supported unknown CEO's from overseas corporations with oligarchic Neo-fascist agendas...that is how we got this bizarrely ineffectual and corrupt ACT/Seymour-driven yes-man of a PM, Luxon the Lugubrious. Lollipop-Man. It simply must be stopped. Does any other so-called Democratic/Socialist country in the world put up with this coup-producing corruption of the political process of democracy? I think not.
I will never understand or emphasise with people's personal rants on social media against another person especially a current or former family member so without having read the post I remain hugely sceptical. Like you Nick my marriage ended and we kept our distance for all sorts of reasons but over time with 4 adult kids and mokos we had to get along and so we do. The association with Costello stinks to high heaven.
Despicable stuff on many levels. The positive is that some of the coalition now view Hipkins as a genuine threat so they of course have to fight dirty. The media are naturally aiding and abetting, which is not their modus operandi when their side are involved in anything scandalous
No matter what the reason for the breakup, and like you Nick I don’t need to know, the ones who are going to be most affected in the long term, are the innocent children.
I too am disappointed that the mainstream media chose to pick up this story and again provide more clickbait for the ‘right’.
And I have to wonder ‘when’ did the ex wife begin working for Casey Costello? 🤫
Agree, not wishing to read the posts and don't doubt that their are two sides and differing perspectives, and perhaps mistakes made as there are so often in the course of negotiating relationships - my 1st thought was 'what about the children...' . Appalled by the media uptake, including morning report when Barbara Edmonds, who was interviewed to comment on the fuel crisis, was asked by Hipkiss to comment on the stories - utterly inappropriate and disgraceful.
I heard her bring it up & turned the radio off I've got no time for that kind of BS.
I texted rnz expressing my disgust.
Unbloodybelievable! I have lost so much faith in RNZ.
Same
I don't listen to RNZ for that reason. Hipkiss and Dann ( and the 1 before and the 1 after ) used to wind me up no end, so I stopped listening. Problem solved - my mornings are now calm and beautiful listening to Concert FM, and I am gaining so much more appreciation for classical music. I got rid of my TV for similar toxic news slant reasons.
Unfortunately Hipkiss demonstrates her right wing bias far too often!
Agree, she drives me mad, along with the inane chatter - not a great combination.
Yes, it is disappointing but then I think about the way they went after Golriz Ghahraman when was convicted of shoplifting - it seemed that every time she went near a shop it was reported. And the ex-president of the Act party, who was convicted of a sex crime, a pedophile, got very little attention.
If she is working at parliament then the Fb post can be used against her as impacting her role .
Its incredibly sad to read and I struggle to believe it as it sounds so malicious and down right nasty. Also was she thinking of the children all or did she post this after a few too many wines and now thinks OMG.....
Yes I questioned that, surely there's some parliamentary regulation around conflicts of interest or wharever this may fall under.. Heavens there's been many a parliamentary break up we've seen over the years. This is Act playing dirty politics and is none of our business. Just really unfair and cruel on all especially Chris and their children. Sad.
I know in my job, it would be a complaint and I would be in serious trouble with HR!
I hope they follow the same guidelines
It was reported today that she stands by her statement. I also thought it might have been whine 🍷time.
While the thought is that there are two sides to every break up, the children need to be free of the impact of bitterness and malice. As you say, the timing of the outburst is suspect. My mother was bitter towards my father for all her life after the early divorce and it certainly impacted us all. I tried not to do the same to my kids.
Thank you so much for speaking to the topic with such love and empathy.
I assume most of us have had a rant at some point in our lives, but sadly social media has a life of its own.
As you have said, the children are the most important and surely by their last name alone, they get enough.
There are many sides to a story and where’s and wherefores. But there is also context, circumstance and time for narratives to change that surround both sides of the story.
Whatever lead to her writing on FB, the pain is personal to her, Chris, their children and whanau. Not the media or others agendas. It’s sad for what this has become in our new way of politics
I’m grateful for like minded people with such love, understanding and empathy on this page. I hope this whanau have such people available to them, outside of the political and media platforms
Thank you, Jo. 🙂
As always, when airing one's dirty washing, a great splattering turd is sure to fall from the sky. Jade has not done herself a favour. Already she has jeopardized her own privacy, potentially made life for the children more stressful, and exposed herself to scrutiny. It's best to work things through in counseling or therapy and protect your children from bad mouthing the other parent. It must be a painful time for the whole family and I wish them all privacy to find solutions.
I hadn't heard of Jade Paul before but now knowing she works for Casey Costello that speaks negatively to me
I agree. This has political nastiness written all over it. I have no idea what it’s about, and no interest in it. I firmly believe that Chippy is a good person, who genuinely cares about people. Everyone has their moments when they may not be their best selves, but that doesn’t define your whole life. I feel very sorry for the children, for Chippy and his partner, and their wider whanau.
This is gutter politics and journalism.
According to Chris Hipkins during his Press conference (having just returned from Australia) his Ex is "not in the country". And since she has the children, he doesn't know how they are. It was heart-breaking to watch him say these things.
Yes, and people who malign their exes need to stop and think that the children are half of that ex. It's so harmful.
And Willis has the audacity to berate the opposition for "gutter politics" ...
And so it begins - for Hipkins this time. It's already started with the lies about Tamatha and Julie Anne. If this kind of nasty, personal, mostly untrue stuff is all they have then it says a lot about their own lack of principle or substance. I don't bother with mainstream media any more.
After the excellent Nicky Hager Dirty Politics expose, I believe that rather than desist the RW have just refined their tactics. A very complicit and helpful Media does the Left no favours. It will only get worse as time advances toward November 7.
Morena Nick.
Because I'm not on Twitter, I have not seen the Facebook post, the first time I had heard anything about this was when it came out in the media yesterday.
I have to say I was really pissed of with our media running with this story without any verifiable facts.
Without knowing what is in the post, my puku reaction is, it's of a woman scorned and someone wanting revenge after a marriage break-up.
I know when a relationship breaks down, people get hurt, some more than others, but social media is not somewhere to air one's dirty laundry.
Chippy and his ex-wife have tamariki together, whom I have no doubt are loved by both of their parents, but it's their innocent tamariki who are being caught right, bang smack in the middle of this and that stinks.
The fact that she works for Casey Costello stinks even more. This is dirty politics at it's finest.
I'm glad Chippy is looking at taking legal action and I will be interested to see what comes of this. Not that it's any of my business.
Great choice in song too.
Honestly how terrible that the media have played this, or been played. So interesting to know ex wife works for National MP. I agree with what you say, Nick. Think of the kids. Nope, media don't do that. Someone in the media made the decision to blow this up. Geez they are desperate for a story aren't they.
That IS our current media direction and the political propaganda of the Right- "Screw the opposition at all and any cost!"
Yup media owned by the billionaires.
If it walks like a goose, and sounds like a goose and looks like a goose then... seems crackers that noone else is pointing out where Chippys ex works, and what the Nats stand to gain.